Monroe County Sheriff’s Office
Daily Crime and Information Report

September 25, 2002

Three arrested for stealing truck

Islamorada – Four young men were arrested
Tuesday evening, charged with stealing a truck from an Islamorada bar.

The owner of the truck told deputies he parked at Hog
Heaven, at the 85 mile marker, and went inside just before 6:30 p.m. He
reportedly left it unlocked, with the keys on the floorboard. A few minutes
later, he saw his truck pulling out of the parking lot northbound, and called
the Sheriff’s Office to report the theft. He said his truck was being followed
by another truck when it left the lot.

Deputies put out a notice to be on the lookout for the two
trucks over police radios. A short time later, someone called Sheriff’s
dispatchers to report two trucks with a similar description driving recklessly
at the 92 mile marker.

Deputy Jason Madnick was northbound at the 93 mile marker
when he spotted one of the trucks pulling out of the parking area of the Jewish
Community Center. The truck, which turned out not to be the one that was stolen,
was pulled over and the four people inside were detained for questioning. The
stolen truck was later found parked behind the Community Center.

After further investigations, all four were arrested and
charged with Grand Theft Auto.19 year old Stephen Leonard of Tavernier, 18 year
old Charles Olver of Key Largo, 17 year old Joseph O’Rourke and 17 year old
Joseph Leboeuf of Tavernier were all booked at the Monroe County Detention
Center.

O’Rourke was also charged with resisting arrest because he
initially refused to cooperate and gave deputies a false name. Olver, the driver
of the truck, was charged with possession of marijuana after a small amount of
marijuana was found inside the vehicle.

The stolen truck was returned to the owner.

September 24, 2002

Traffic stop results in drug arrests

Marathon.
A search of a car stopped for speeding in Marathon Monday afternoon turned up a
large amount of marijuana. Sheriff’s deputies pulled over the driver of a
northbound 1989 Cadillac shortly after four p.m. near mile marker 48.
After issuing a speeding ticket to the driver, identified as 35-year old Dallas
F. Yates, of Key West, Deputies received permission to search the vehicle. The
owner, 38-year old Cynthia H. Slaunwhite-also of Key West-was a passenger in the
car. Deputy John O’Malley discovered a film container filled with a leafy
substance that field-tested positive for marijuana. Deputy Manuel Cuervo
arrived on scene with his drug-sniffing K-9 “Hooch.” The dog alerted to drugs in
the trunk of the car. Deputies found a bag filled with 242 grams of marijuana.
Deputies also found 68 pills, identified as Valium. Slaunwhite told deputies she
purchased the pills without a prescription from an Internet site.

Deputies
arrested Yates and Slaunwhite on charges of possession of a controlled
substance. Slaunwhite’s car was seized for possible forfeiture. Both were booked
into the county jail.

Sept. 19, 2002

Major cocaine trafficking bust

Two
Miami men are in the county jail after they sold two kilos of cocaine to
undercover Monroe County Sheriff’s detectives Wednesday afternoon at a resort
parking lot in Islamorada. The arrests followed a lengthy investigation by
the Sheriff’s Office, Drug Enforcement Administration, Florida Department of Law
Enforcement and State Attorney’s Office.

The
investigation centered on 34-year old Lazaro Urbay. Undercover officers
from the Special Investigations Unit purchased small amounts of cocaine from
Urbay on two occasions and then arranged to buy three kilos of cocaine from him.
The undercover officers met Urbay and another man identified as 44-year old
Pedro Valdez, of Miami, at the resort’s parking lot Wednesday afternoon. Urbay
produced only two kilos of cocaine. After a deal was made to purchase the drugs
for 45 thousand dollars, the undercover officers signaled to members of the
Special Response Team. The SRT members and other law enforcement officers
moved in and arrested Urbay and Valdez without incident.

Urbay is
charged with three counts of trafficking in cocaine and one count of sale of
cocaine. Valdez is charged with being a principle in the first degree for
his participation in the drug deal.

The two
kilos of cocaine seized by lawmen were wrapped in bright colored plastic and
adorned with happy face drawings. The cocaine had a street value of over
one hundred thousand dollars.

Traffic Unit will concentrate on
Poker Run bikers

The
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Unit will be on their motorcycles
monitoring bikers in the Keys during this weekend’s Poker Run. Hundreds of
motorcycle drivers will be on U.S. One heading to Key West on Saturday.
The Sheriff’s motorcycle units will be stationed at various locations in the
Keys to monitor the bikers heading south on Saturday and returning north on
Sunday. In addition to the motorcycle units, four traffic deputies
in marked patrol will also be assigned to monitor the bikers. The traffic
deputies will be looking for moving violations, including reckless driving,
speeding and passing on the right. Sheriff Richard Roth says the extra
enforcement effort is designed to help make the Poker Run a safe event for
everyone.

Cocaine Trafficking arrest

Members
of the Sheriff’s Special Investigations Unit arrested 50-year old Jose Sanchez
Gonzalez on cocaine trafficking charges September 12. The undercover officers
made three cocaine buys from Gonzalez during the investigation. Officers
stopped Gonzalez on U.S. One at mile marker 67. A search of his 2002 Chevy
Impala failed to turn up any drugs, but the car was seized because it was used
during the previous drug deals. Gonzalez, who resides in Marathon, is
charged with two counts of trafficking in cocaine and one count of sale of
cocaine. Bond is set at one hundred thousand dollars.

Sept. 11, 2002

Home Invasion Robbery Arrest

Marathon-Three
suspects were arrested Tuesday night in connection with a home invasion robbery
in Marathon. The incident started around 8 p.m. when the suspects
reportedly tried to rob a 17-year old victim on 51st Street.
The 17-year fled into a nearby friend’s house, followed by the three suspects.
Inside the house, the suspects ripped a gold chain from the neck of another
victim. The suspects reportedly fled in a black Dodge passenger car.
Another witness, who followed the suspects’ car to Tuskegee Avenue in Marathon,
reported the location to the Sheriff’s Office. After locating the
suspects’ vehicle, parked at Lot 7, 3901 Tuskegee Avenue, Deputies detained
three suspects who were in the house. Witnesses and victims from the home
invasion on 51st Street positively identified the three suspects, who
were taken into custody. Deputies arrested 20-year old Jaffre Ross and
17-year old DeAnthony Ross on home invasion charges. DeAnthony Ross was
also charged with robbery for allegedly taking the gold chain, which was
recovered by Deputies. The third suspect, 20-year old Terrance Holmes is
charged with being a principle in the first degree for his involvement in the
home invasion. All three suspects are from Marathon.

Two arrested for murdering Homestead man and dumping his body in the Upper
Keys

Two
suspects have been arrested in connection with the discovery of a body in the
Upper Keys on August 29. Monroe County Sheriff’s detectives, working with
Metro-Dade investigators were able to identify the victim from a missing
person’s report and were able to trace the killers through a cell phone found
near the body.

The
victim, 24-year old Ymeri Lelis Fuentes, was listed in a missing person’s report
in Homestead, Florida. Relatives identified the body. Investigators
traced the cell phone to 29-year old Jorge Segovia, alsofrom Homestead.
Metro-Dade investigators say Segovia admitted to beating and robbing Fuentes on
August 18 and then dumping his body just off the 18-mile stretch. Segovia
also implicated another Homestead man, identified as 35-year old Jose Luis
Sanchez. Both men were arrested Monday on homicide and robbery
charges.

Car jacking suspect arrested

A Key
Largo man is charged with a car jacking that occurred in the Upper Keys on
August eighth. Sheriff’s detectives, with an assist from a couple of tips phoned
in on the Crime Stoppers’ hotline, arrested 24-year old Robert E. Ecuyer.
The victim of the car jacking told authorities that the incident occurred after
he accidentally rear-ended a small pickup truck. When he got out to
exchange information with the female who was driving the pickup, the victim said
a man attacked him. The victim said the suspect stole his truck after
dragging him out of it and hitting him several more times. The stolen
truck was subsequently recovered. Sheriff’s investigators were able to
locate the female involved in the incident. Crime Stopper tips named Ecuyer as
the suspect. Ecuyer turned out to be the boyfriend of the female.
Detectives arrested Ecuyer on Aug 15 after the victim identified him.
Ecuyer also admitted to being involved in the incident when detectives
interviewed him.

Candidate Joan Nelson arrested

County
Commission candidate, Joan Nelson (also known as “Bicycle Joanne”) was arrested
at a Marathon restaurant early this morning. Sheriff’s deputies were
called to the restaurant at approximately 1:30 a.m. by the management who stated
that Nelson was causing a disturbance and was refusing to leave the premises.
Nelson would not leave the establishment and she refused to provide
identification to the deputies. Nelson was arrested for refusing to leave
the business. She was also charged with arresting arrest without violence
for pulling away from the officer as he tried to handcuff her. Nelson
complained of an arm injury or possible broken arm during the arrest. She
was taken to Fisherman’s Hospital, but an exam did not show any broken bones or
serious injury.

Trauma Star Helicopter Transports accident victim

The
Sheriff’s Trauma Star helicopter transported a seriously injured man to Jackson
Memorial Hospital in Miami Tuesday afternoon. The victim was injured at a
Stock Island business when a truck tire exploded while he was changing it.
The 51-year old victim suffered extensive facial injuries.

Rewards offered
for information about animal cruelty incidents

A one
thousand-dollar reward and a Crime Stoppers’ reward of up to one thousand
dollars are being offered for information leading to an arrest or arrests in
connection with the shootings of two wild birds.

In the
first incident, a Great White heron was found shot dead on the salt-water flats
near Conch Key on July 29. A necropsy showed that a single projectile
severed the jugular vein in the bird’s neck.

In the
second incident, a severely injured Roseate Spoonbill was found near Conch Key
on July 2. An x-ray revealed that ten small, round projectiles, likely
buck shot, were lodged in the bird’s chest and wing. The bird is
recovering at last report.

Anyone
with information should call the Sheriff’s Office. Anonymous calls can be
made to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-346-8477. Crime Stoppers will pay up to
one thousand dollars for information leading to an arrest. The Marathon
Wild Bird Center says that Marathon resident, Rich Moretti, will also donate one
thousand dollars for arrest information.

Trauma Star evacuates traffic accident victim

The
Sheriff’s Trauma Star helicopter evacuated a traffic accident victim to Mariner
Hospital and then to Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami on Saturday afternoon.
The accident with injuries occurred at the 93-mile marker. The Highway
Patrol investigated the accident.

Sept. 6, 2002

Two more arrests in Upper
Keys gun theft case

Sheriff’s detectives,
working with the State Attorney’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco and Firearms, have arrested two more suspects linked to the theft of
over 13-thousand dollars worth of guns from an Islamorada residence in June.

The weapons, which included
a fully automatic submachine gun, shotgun, rifles and silencers, were stolen
from a gun safe during a party at the victim’s house.

Initial investigation led
to the arrest of 17-year old Josiah O’Neil MacShane, of Key Largo, on August 8.
MacShane is accused of distracting the homeowner’s son during the theft.

Investigators, led by
Sheriff’s Detective David Carey, used information obtained from MacShane and an
informant to obtain arrest warrants for 19-year old Nathaniel Cummings of Key
Largo and 18-year old Daniel Ginjauma, of Tavernier. Detectives also interviewed
several witnesses who heard the teens bragging about the theft. Both are
charged with actually taking the weapons from the gun safe. They were booked
into county jail on bonds of 75 thousand dollars, charged with grand theft of
firearms.

Investigators are still
trying to recover the stolen firearms. Anyone with information should call
Detective Carey at 853-3211. Crime Stoppers will pay cash for information
leading to recovery of the firearms. Tipsters may remain anonymous. The Crime
Stoppers’ hotline is 1-800-346-8477 (TIPS).

Art Behind Bars Benefit

Art behind bars, the
art-based community service program for inmates in the Monroe County Detention
Center, is pleased to announce that it will celebrate its “Eighth Birthday Party
Show” on Friday, September20th,
2002, at the Pier House Resort’s Caribbean Spa from 6-9 p.m. In addition
to showcasing the artwork and community service projects of the local program,
highlights of the event will include a show of inmate art from all over the
country, and a silent auction featuring the work of local and national artists.
Also featured will be the work of Art After Bars. There will be food,
entertainment by Jim Wist, and of course, birthday cake. The show will remain on
view at the Pier House through Sunday, Sept. 22.

The event is sponsored in
part by Zonta, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Keys Council of
the Arts, The State of Florida, Division Cultural Affairs, Florida Arts Council,
the National Endowment of the Arts, Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville and private
donations.

Art behind Bars is a 501(c)
-3 non-profit organization. All proceeds from the event go back into the
program; this is the major fundraiser of the year. For more information check
out the award winning website at www.artbehindbars.org